Automatic weighing-machine.



No. 632,284. Patented sept. 5, |899. w. sEwAnn.

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(Application bdNov. 15, 1898.)

(No Modal.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM SEVVARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y,

' AUTOMATIC WElGH'ING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.1632,284, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed November l5, 1898. Serial No. 696,497. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SEWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, New York city, in the county and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Automatic lVeighing-Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic weighing-machines, and its novelty 'consists in the construction and adaptation of the parts, as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing is illustrated a side elevation and partial vertical section of two of my improved machines at different stages of their operation and showing their joint use.

I will describe the construction and mode of operation of one machine first. n

A feed-hopper h, suitably supported above the weighing mechanism and adapted yto con-` tain the material m to be weighed, is made with sloping sides and a funnel-shaped bottom provided with a dependent chute 7i in a manner well known to the art. The chute is adapted to be closed by a valve 7b2, adapted to oscillate on a horizontal axis supported in bearings in the side of the chute. It is kept normally closed by means of a projecting lever h3, provided with a weight b4, which may be rigidly or adjustably secured to it. It is opened by means of an upwardly-projecting lever h5, adapted to be moved by abutton 72,6, secured to a cord o, the use of which will presently appear.

The scale-beam b consists of a bent lever having one arm b2 extending` rearwardly and another arm b extending forward from a suitably-supported rock-shaft b3, on which the lever as a whole is adapted to oscillate. The arm b is made soas to slope downward and supports upon its upper side the bottom b4 of the weighing-hopper fw, which is suitably supported in any convenient manner. To the arm b2 ofthe scale-beam is secured by a strap or sleeve or in any other suitable mannera cord c,to which is attached a weight. A stop b5 serves to limit the upward oscillation of the arm b2 as it turns on the shaft b3.

A latch-rod r, adapted to slide vertically in `:guides 9" v", attached to the framework of the mechanism, is provided with a latch r2,

adapted to engage with a catch r3, pivotedon the framework of the machine andl normally held against the latch by a spring r4. The latch-rod r is provided with a lug rs, forming` a bearing for a pivot r6, on which a trip Win the form of a bell-crank leveris adapted to oscillate. The longer member rs of this trip rests normally against the arm b2 of the sealebeam. The smaller member r9 depends between the latch-rod r and the upper end of the catch r3.

The cord o is secured to the upper end of the latch-rod a" and passes over a pulley d, a second pulley d, and a' third pulley (Z2, a weight a being attached to its other end. The several pulleysare supported in bearings on the framework of the machine. y The cord cis secured to the cord c' at any convenient place betweenthe pulleys d and d2. A third cord c depends from the lower end of the latchrod ry and isy fastened to a hand-lever c, pivm oted to the wall or in some other suitable location.

A receiving-hopperw' is placed underneath the weighing-hopper w.

The operation of the device is as follows: As illustrated in the figure, the feed-hopper valve b2 is open. This permits the material to be weighed to fallinto the weighing-hop.- per w. rlhis action continues until the weight of the accumulated material is sufficient to counterbalance the weight a and to tip the scale-beam b around its shaft b3. The arm b2 being raised the trip of is made to swing' forward on its pivot. This forces the catch r3 in the same direction and loosens the latchrod o", which is at once pulled upward bythe cord c, acted upon by the weight a'. As, however, the cord o moves from left to right, the button h, attached to it, is forced to move in the same direction. The pressure to the left on the lever-arm h5 being thus released the weight h4 under the action of gravity tips the valve h2 and closes the chute 7?/ against the discharge of further material.

lt is evidently desirable that the amount of the material permitted to pass into the weighing-hopper iu after the scale-beam has been tipped should be as small as possible, and hence the weights a and d should be so adjusted as to insure a rapid closingof the IOO valve. The weight of the two arms b and b2 of the scale-beam should likewise be equal, or nearly s0.

The weight d', which is suspended from the cord c, not only opens and closes the valve by means of the button LGand the weight h4, but as the cord c/ (which is attached to the end of the lever-arm) is itself attached to cord c the weight a' holds the bottom oi' the weighing-hopper zu open until the load is entirely discharged. The weight d is slightly heavier than the counterweight a., thus insuring the entire discharge of the load.

It can be seen that after the discharge of the machine the weights a and a are acting against each other, the result being that in resetting the mechanism for another charge the only weight to lift is the difference between the weights a and (d.

As the sides of the weighing-hopper yaf are stationary when the scale-beam is tipped the contents of the hopper zu are dumped into the receiving-hopper tu below. The valve h2 will remain closed, being held in position by the weight a' until the hand-lever e is depressed. This will move the button he and open the valve and at the same time pull down the latch-rod fr and set the mechanism Vi'or another weighing operation.

Mounted alongside ot' the mechanism just described is a precisely similar second mechanism, in which f is the scale-beam, tu" is the weighing-hopper, 7tis the supply-hopper, m' the material therein, 7e the chute, k2 the cutoff valve, g the latch-rod, a" and d3 the weights, c3, ci, and c the cords, g the catch, g2 the trip, and dg, (Z4, d, (ZG, and LF the guiding-pulleys for the cord The operation of the device is precisely the same as the one previously described when it is worked alone. It is one purpose of my invention, however, to use such weighing mechanisms conjointly and for the purpose of mixing predetermined quantities oi materials. This is a necessary step in the manufacture of many compound materials, and my device affords an easy, accurate, and rapid way of accomplishing it. 'lo that end the two hoppers h and 7; are mounted in close proximity. The weighinghoppers each discharge into the same receiving-hopper, and vby attaching` the cord to the same hand-lever e as is used to operate upon the cord c'l a simultaneous joint operation of the two mechanisms is secured. The

lengths of the cords may likewise be so adj usted that the valve for one weighing mechanism maybe closed at a predetermined time after the valve of the other or another similar mechanism. Similarly the number of such mechanisms conveniently grouped and discharging into a common hopper may be indefinitely increased.

lVithin certain limits the details of my invention may be varied without departing from the principles upon which it is based. The cut-off valves of the supply-hopper may be of any common form or style. The material, location, and size of the hoppers and most of the mechanical parts of the structure may be changed within the limits of the skill of an educated mechanic.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is-- l. The combination of a plurality of valveeontrolled supply-hoppers, weighing-hoppers adapted to receive the material discharged therefrom, scale-beams carrying the bottoms of said weighing-hoppers, means brought into action through the tipping of the scale-beams whereby the valves of the several supply-hoppers discharging into their respective weighing-hoppers are closed and the contents of each weighing-hopper are discharged into a common receiving-hopper, and a single means for opening the valves ot all of said supplyhoppers simultaneously or successively.

2. The combination with a scale-beam supporting the bottom of a weighing-hopper and normally held against the sides of the latter by a weight suspended from the scale-beam beyond the fulcrum thereof, of means for counter-acting the iniiuence oi' said weight and simultaneously acting upon the outletvalve of the supply-hopper in which the material to be weighed is stored.

The combination of the weighing-hopper, the movable bottom therel'or, the weights and their cords, the latch-rod, its catch and trip and means adapted to pull down said latch-rod, the supply-hopper and its outletvalve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this lith day of November, 1898, in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

lVitnesses:

llniniAN MEYER, Cnus'run li. Mietzins.

IOO 

